Meat marking



Dec. 5, 1939. s, HARTANOV 2,182,203

\ MEAT MARKING Filed Aug, 8I 1938 W TM 5 A T TES 7' INVENTOR 2h 0. W gww ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES MEAT MARKING Andrew S. Hartanov, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Swift and Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 8, 1938, Serial No. 223,778

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of branding carcass meat. The invention is concerned with branding edible carcasses or major portions thereof after the hide or pelt has been removed and is particularly adapted for use in branding beef and sheep carcasses which have a fatty covering.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a method for the application of strip brands which may be prepared from transparent cellulose or any other suitable substance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method whereby such strip brand may be successfully applied to carcasses having a heavy fatty surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method which is an improvement on the method described and claimed'in United States Patent, No. 2,083,765, to Beverly E. Williams.

The Williams method involves the application of a strip of regenerated cellulose bearing identifying marks, or a strip of cellulosic material bearing identifying marks, to edible carcasses or portions thereof from which the hide or skin has been removed, it being essential to the Williams procedure that the strip be applied immediately after the hide or skin has been removed. In the preferred procedure taught in the Williams patent I have found that excellent results may be secured in the application of such a brand to freshly killed and skinned carcasses and on partly chilled carcasses.

The method of the present invention is based upon my discovery that excess moisture including natural moisture by exudation, which is always present on the surface of such carcasses increasing in quantity with chilling, tends to dilute the natural gelatinous or albuminous material of the carcass surface although this material is of greater concentration adjacent the surface.

In carrying out my invention, the portion of the fatty surface on a beef carcass to which the brand is to be applied, is wiped off with a dry cloth or other suitable material to remove the excess moisture and prepare the surface so that it possesses sufficient of the natural gelatinous ,or albuminous adhesive qualities to make the cellulosic strip adhere well.

The invention will be readily understood by reference to the drawing in which similar reference characters in the several figures indicate similar elements.

Figure 1 is a view of a side of dressed beef i from which the hide has been removed and from which excess surface moisture has been wiped from the portion to which the strip is to be applied.

Figure 2 is a View of a side of dressed beef I as shown in Figure 1 to which has been affixed a strip or band 2 bearing a plurality of indicia 3. I have found that various materials may be used for the strip, a satisfactory material being substantially pure transparent cellulosic paper 0.00088 inch in thickness which has received no moisture proofing treatment, though it has been treated with glycerin to render it flexible. It is well known such material is commonly termed regenerated cellulose.

In carrying out the invention, the printed strip is applied flat to the wiped portion 4 of beef side I, the strip being applied so that the indicia are arranged in successive order transversely of the lines on which the meat is customarily cut. I have found that a strip of cellulosic material applied to the surface of an edible carcass after the skin has been removed and the surface wiped, gives an effective adhesion which is permanent in the sense that it will withstand ordinary handling until the strip is purposely removed.

It will be'understood that although the present invention has been described as applicable to beef carcasses, it is equally applicable to other edible carcasses.

I claim:

1. The method of marking edible carcasses from which the hide or skin has been removed having natural adhesive material and excess surface moisture on the surface thereof, the natural adhesive material being of greater concentration adjacent the surface of the carcass, which comprises first wiping thesurface of the carcass to remove substantially only the excess moisture therefrom and then applying a strip of regenerated cellulose bearing identifying marks.

2. The method of marking meat having natural adhesive serum and excess surface moisture on the surface, the natural adhesive material being of greater concentration adjacent the surface of the carcass, which comprises wiping the surface to remove substantially only the excess moisture and therafter applying a strip of cellulosic material bearing identifying marks.

3. The method of marking meat bearing naturaladhesive material and excess surface moisture on the surface thereof, the natural adhesive material being of greater concentration adjacent the surface of' the carcass, which comprises wiping the surface of the carcass to remove substantially only the excess moisture, applying a marking strip of cellulosic material to a portion of the surface from which the excess moisture has been removed, and causing the strip to adhere to the surface by the subsequent coagulation of gelatinous serum.

4. The method of marking edible carcasses from which the hide or skin has been removed having natural adhesive material and natural moisture by exudation on the surface thereof, the natural adhesive material being of greater concentration adjacent the surface of the carcass, which comprises first wiping the surface of the carcass to remove substantially only the incis ture therefrom and then applying a strip of regenerated cellulose bearing identifying marks.

5. The method of marking meat having natural adhesive serum and natural moisture by exudation on the surface thereof, the natural adhesive serumv being of Y greater concentration adjacent the surface, which comprises Wiping the surface to remove substantially only the moisture therefrom and thereafter applying a strip of 10 cellulose material bearing identifying marks.

ANDREW S. HARTANOV. 

